Moscow Patriarchate Removes Bishop Diomid From Office

(Interfax June 28) – The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate- NFTU)at a meeting on Saturday dismissed Bishop Diomid of Chukotka as bishop of the diocese and banned him from serving in the ministry, the Moscow Patriarchate told Interfax.

Such a decision was made at a meeting of the Synod, decided during the course of the Bishops’ Council, which made the decision on the eve of Bishop Diomid’s removal from office. The reason for this was the verdict of his disobedience to the hierarchy.

Vl. Diomid, over the past year and a half, has made all sorts of appeals which openly criticized the Patriarch Alexy II, other prominent church hierarchs and called for the independence of the Russian Orthodox Church, meaning to abandon its dialogue with the authorities, representatives of other religions and denominations, as well as away from active missionary work.

At a meeting on Friday the Episcopal Council called upon Bishop Diomid to immediately cease his activities and repent. It was also determined the period by which the bishop must repent: until the next meeting of the Synod. (The summer meeting of that body usually takes place in mid-July, in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh. – “IF”) In the case of the Bishop’s refusal to repent before the meeting of the Council decision enters into force, that is, Bishop Diomid will be officially stripped of the episcopal dignity.

Today it was decided to discuss the fate of the Chukotka bishop at the forthcoming meeting of the Holy Synod. In addition, the Bishops decided to send a formal invitation to the Synod. (Want to know why? Click this link here…. NFTU)

The Synod appointed Archbishop Mark of Khabarovsk and Priamursk the temporary administrator of the Chukotska diocese.